Boards-Pass Guarantee
We guarantee you'll pass, or your money back...
It's not magic. It's just applied science—and a lot of legwork on our part. We have cultivated and customized, with the participation of over 200 contributing physicians, an up-to-date standard-of-care reference for Emergency Medicine. With every topic neatly arranged, boards-appropriate test questions for every topic, over 4,000 fully-referenced questions and 1,400 images covering all the essential aspects of Emergency Medicine, Med-Challenger EM is the best and most comprehensive resource of its type.

Each special area of learning and competency—from ECG interpretation and acute care radiology to trauma and critical care (and 23 other essential topical areas)—is continually peer-reviewed and adjusted with one goal in mind: preparing and protecting you from lack of adequate preparation for assessments of your knowledge. You must pass—or we fail!

Our review method is so effective that we confidently offer a Boards-Pass Guarantee for the ConCert exam! That's comprehensive content and study with NO RISK!

99.8% Success Rate
Compared to a 24% failure rate for certification and recertification...
The overall failure rate remains high. Why? It isn’t because physicians don’t know their stuff; it’s because the examination covers such impossibly broad topics. The test includes 15% of its content in image interpretations, radiographs, and ECGs. It includes formulas you haven’t had to look at since medical school, and it requires knowledge of some relatively obscure areas where the standard of care is changing.

Test-taking is a science of its own, but Challenger relies on a proven 100-year-old methodology known as programmed learning to bullet-proof you on these tests! Despite its age, the programmed learning method still yields the highest cognitive exam scores in comparison to more fashionable (but less reliable) techniques. Challenger ignores fads and fashions so that we can GUARANTEE your success.

Study at Your Own Pace
And on your own schedule...
Keep time requirements under your control. Save features capture your scores from wherever you are in the course. Work in one topic in the morning, then jump to something completely different in the afternoon. You're not locked into any enforced content order, remote schedule, or lecture circuit with Challenger products, so your valuable review time is used at your discretion. State-of-the-Art Standard-of-Care Review New Lifelong Learning Self-Assessment Material...
Each year, as portions of the prior years Lifelong Learning Self-Assessment (LLSA) programs are incorporated into the boards, they are added to the ConCert exam preparation in Med-Challenger Emergency Medicine for Residents as well.

This evidence-based material will be placed into the Boards examination on a fixed schedule after it appears in the LLSA examinations. Our reinforced learning and retention techniques ensure that you are up-to-date on this material.

The Largest Electronic Image Bank for Emergency Medicine See and interact with the images as you study...
Full-color, high-resolution imagery has always been one of the hallmarks of Challenger programs. Every image is assigned to the appropriate standard-of-care topic, and most can be enlarged for detailed examination and observation. Where specific features of an image are salient for instruction, overlays point to items being illustrated.

Practice, Review, Assess, and Score Three steps to success on any examination..
. The Challenger review process is elegantly designed to promote the highest level of retention possible. Questions are written by clinical experts to emulate clinical examination standards and to enhance knowledge of current best practices. Questions are largely single answer, formatted to emulate boards examination practices. Whether you are preparing for an examination or reaffirming your knowledge, our review and testing structure will help.

Our three step - Practice, Review, Assess - progression incorporates a proven educational regime called programmed learning. At the start of each topic chapter, three tabs are displayed. Each tab's content is formatted for a specific function and usage. You can toggle from tab to tab as you wish, allowing for a more personalized flow of study.

The "Practice" tab - The test run. Answer each question in a section and receive pop up feedback and remediation. Limited tries keep the session honest. Correct and incorrect indicators appear next to your selected answers. All answers are revealed when all tries are exhausted.

The "Review" tab - The study guide. The Review section presents the questions in the order seen in the Practice section, but with all answers and remediation displayed. Once your review is finished, you may either re-enter the Practice section or proceed to the Assessment.

The "Assessment" - The scored test. One or more assessments will be available for each topic. Questions seen in the Practice view will display in random order. At the end of each assessment your responses are scored and a detailed breakdown displayed.

The scoring report indicates correct answers and incorrect answers given for each question. These scores, if the required score is met, can be sent to Challenger Corporation for fast CME certificate fulfillment for an additional fee.

Our review method is so effective we even offer a Boards-Pass guarantee! That's comprehensive content and study with NO RISK!

Fast Navigation in an Interactive Environment Find what you need, fast...
The Challenger Interactive Viewer (CIV) environment integrates all content and dynamic testing functionality in a clear, point-and-learn, format. The review progression is designed to allow quick navigation while providing a step-by-step structure to enhance learning and retention. Read, view, absorb, and retain material at your own pace.

Unlike most clinical review software programs where navigation is hard to find or confusing, navigating through Challenger courses, sections, and topics is a breeze thanks to Challenger's Interactive Viewer (CIV). Quickly jump to your area of interest, topic to sub-topic, in a straightforward outline form.

Find what you need, fast. The CIV is graphically laid out to provide large, on-screen selections for fast, easy navigation. Entry into each content section opens the Interactive Viewer Window where content is displayed. Topics list neatly down one side. Want to switch topics? Just click the topic title in the list. Practice, Review and Assessment tabs line the top of the window for multiple content review options. To return to the main table of contents, simply close the window.

Built-In Flexibility Two points of access...
Don't have time to drive or fly to that Boards Prep seminar? Have it come to you. When you purchase any Challenger program, you will receive a CD-ROM and instructional help guide. You will also be automatically set up in our Challenger Online Learning Portal, so you can access your coursework material via the Web from any computer with an Internet connection. Review, study and take assessments online just as if you were at home. This convenience is crucial, given time constraints shouldered by today's clinical professionals.

Quick and Easy CME Fulfillment Simple instructions, multiple options...
Obtaining your CME certificates has never been easier. You can request CME credits for an additional fee, in blocks of 10, any time upon completion of whole or partial sections of content. Challenger provides multiple score submission options and simple-to-follow instructions. Just mail or fax your printed scores or submit them directly via your online Challenger account. Your scores and required evaluation form (provided) are processed immediately. Challenger works closely with our prestigious, institutional sponsors to maintain the most rewarding educational experience possible. For most of our courses, Challenger issues CME certificates on behalf of our sponsors directly from our office, speeding their delivery.

Free Technical Support We're always there...
We'll be with you every step of the way. Should you need assistance, our technical support staff is on standby during normal business hours to assist you for FREE.

Into the Future
The changing face of medicine...
Challenger prides itself on staying up-to-date in all aspects of medicine. All courses are routinely peer-reviewed and updated. Should your program expire, upgrades are provided to Challenger clients at a fraction of standard retail cost. This way, as the face of medicine changes, our valued customers can cost-effectively keep their coursework and reference library current. Of course, the best value Challenger offer is the Challenger Lifetime Subscription - all products and upgrades for a one-time enrollment fee.

"After Hurricane Katrina, we ended up being the sole provider for the city of New Orleans's emergency care. All of our resources for in-service and training were destroyed, so it was an enormous relief to learn that Challenger would replace their materials for us free of charge! This program is such a high-yield study and can really make a difference for us....Thanks so much again for all that Challenger is doing...."
--David Ulick, MD; Chief Resident in Emergency Medicine; Charity Hospital; New Orleans, Louisiana

"I used the MD Challenger series (I still have the floppies if you can believe that) when I initially took my boards in 1994 and it was the only study guide I used. It was fabulous. I am looking forward to seeing how things have advanced as I prepare for my recertification boards."
--Sharolyn Rhees Medina, MD, FACEP

"I used the On-Line Course. I found it very useful and relevant. I have a fairly busy life, with work, 3 kids, and a husband who travels, so needless to say the flexibility of your program was perfect for me. I received my Board Score this week and passed successfully, and basically the only program I used was yours and one other Test Booklet."
--Mary Engrav, MD

"I use a variety of medical software, this is unequivocally the best."
--M. Dallas, MD

"One-third the cost of most board review courses, but more effective."
--Anthony Russo, MD

"I love this program!"
--Mark Harding, MD

"I utilized the Challenger EM program as my primary study aid for the EM re-certification boards. I found the immediate feedback supplied by the program especially helpful for targeting those areas requiring further study."
--Kenneth Holbert, MD

"The best EM review available for computer home- based system. Cadillac of EM."
--Randall A. Howell, MD

Accreditation Statement
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Challenger Corporation.

The University of Colorado School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Certification Statement
The University of Colorado School of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 230.0 Category 1 credits toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits he/she actually spent in the activity.

Disclosure Policy
It is the intent of University of Colorado School of Medicine to assure that its educational mission, and continuing medical education activities in particular, should not be influenced by the special interests of individuals associated with its programs. Having an interest in or an affiliation with any corporate organization does not necessarily influence a faculty's presentation, but the relationship must be made known to the program audience in accordance with the Standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.

Disclosure of Proprietary Interests
According to CME guidelines, authors must disclose all associations with proprietary entities that may have a direct relationship to their subject of discussion. All authors of this program have signed disclosure forms indicating any associations with proprietary entities related to their subjects of discussion.

Activity Dates
Date of Original Release: 1992
Most Recent CME Review/Update: December 1, 2003
Edition Release Date: January, 2005
Expiration Date: December 1, 2008

Copyright Statement
Med-Challenger EM. Copyright © 1992 by Challenger Corporation. All rights reserved.

Editor/Contributing Author: Lawrence B. Stack, MD, FACEP; Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine; Vanderbilt University; Nashville, Tennessee

Contributing Authors: Fitzgerald Alcindor, MD; Attending Faculty; Department of Emergency Medicine; North Shore University Hospital; Manhasset, New York

Mary Jo A. Bowman, MD; Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics; Ohio State University College of Medicine; Attending Physician, Emergency Department; Columbus Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio

Yi-Mei Chng, MD; Resident; Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts;

Daniel Cohen, MD; Section of Emergency Medicine; Columbus Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio

William H. Cotton II, MD; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; The Ohio State University College of Medicine; Columbus, Ohio

Mark E. Deutchman, MD, FAAFP; Professor of Family Medicine; Department of Family Medicine; University of Colorado, Denver; Denver, Colorado

Arthur L. Diskin, MD, FACEP; Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine; Mount Sinai Medical Center; Miami Beach, Florida

Ann Marie Dietrich, MD; Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pediatrics; Ohio State University; Attending Pediatric Emergency Medicine; Columbus Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio

Libby Edwards, MD; Chief of Dermatology; Department of Internal Medicine; Carolinas Medical Center; Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology; Bowman Gray School of Medicine; Winston-Salem, North Carolina

William R. Fraser, DO, FACOEP; Director of Emergency Medical Education; Doctor's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio

Martin Herman, MD; Associate Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine; Associate Director, Southern Poison Center; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; University of Tennessee College of Medicine; Memphis, Tennessee

Adam Hessel, MD; Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine (Dermatology and Dermatopathology); The Ohio State University College of Medicine; Columbus, Ohio

Robert Hickey, MD; Assistant Professor; Department of Pediatrics; Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Jeffrey M. Hoffman, MD; Attending Physician, Emergency Department; Children's Medical Center; Dayton, Ohio

Andrea Igel, MD

Kenneth V. Iserson, MD, MBA; Professor of Surgery and Director, Arizona Bioethics Program; University of Arizona Health Sciences Center; Tucson, Arizona

Daniel R. Jones, MD; Challenger Corporation; Memphis, Tennessee

Paul John Kostyniak, PhD; Chairman; Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology; School of Medicine and Biophysical Sciences; State University of New York at Buffalo; Buffalo, New York

Marc Leder, MD; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; Pediatric Emergency Medicine; Ohio State University; Columbus, Ohio

David C. Lee, MD; Director of Research; Department of Emergency Medicine; North Shore University Hospital; Manhasset, New York

Gregory P. Moore, MD, FACEP; Attending Physician and Associate Clinical Professor; Emergency Medicine Residency; Indiana University School of Medicine; Indianapolis, Indiana

James E. Nicholson, III, MD; Southeastern Acute Care Specialists; Rocky Mount, North Carolina

George S. Novalis, MD; Clinical Assistant Professor; Department of Opthalmology; University of Arizona Medical Center; Tucson, Arizona

Cynthia A. Pristach, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry; State University of New York at Buffalo; Erie County Medical Center; Buffalo, New York

Mubadda A. Salim, MD; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Cardiology; University of Tennessee College of Medicine; Memphis, Tennessee

Daniel Scherzer, MD; Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics; The Ohio State University; Attending Physician; Section of Emergency Medicine; Columbus Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio

Andrew J. Schuman, MD; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; Dartmouth Medical School; Hanover, New Hampshire

William W. Scott, Jr., MD; Associate Professor of Radiology & Orthopaedic Surgery; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore, Maryland

Stewart Shofner, MD; Mid-State Medical Center; Nashville, Tennessee

Jonathan I. Singer, MD, FAAP; Professor of Emergency Medicine & Pediatrics; Wright State University School of Medicine; Dayton, Ohio

Cedric M. Smith, MD, Professor; Dept. of Pharmacology and Toxicology; School of Medicine and Biological Sciences; State University of New York at Buffalo; Buffalo, New York

Richard M. Sobel, MD, MPH; Assistant Professor; Department of Emergency Medicine; Emory University; Atlanta, Georgia

Ernest E. Sullivent, III, MD, FAAEP; Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine; The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; Galveston, Texas

Target Audience
Med-Challenger is intended for practitioners of Primary Care or Emergency Medicine or clinicians otherwise involved in the diagnosis and treatment of acute or emergent medical problems.

Educational Objectives
The objective of the Med-Challenger continuing medical education program is to provide an interactive review of the knowledge base of acute care and emergency medicine. After completing this course, the participating clinician will be better equipped to:

• Confidently manage the broad spectrum of acute and emergent medical problems encountered in the practice of primary care and emergency medicine.
• Formulate appropriate differential diagnoses for patients presenting with acute medical problems of uncertain etiology.
• Efficiently initiate therapeutic and diagnostic procedures for patients presenting with acute medical disorders.
• Cope effectively with the uncertainty that is inherent in the initial treatment of acute and emergent disorders, effectively stabilizing critical patients while refining the differential diagnosis.
• Handle efficiently the spectrum of common disorders involving all organ systems. In particular, the physician will be better equipped to resuscitate seriously ill patients and to diagnose and treat acute: cardiovascular disorders; diseases of the eye, ear, nose, throat, skin and soft tissues; endocrinologic disorders; traumatic and environmental injuries; gastrointestinal diseases; gynecologic and obstetric disorders; hematologic and oncologic problems; immunologic, allergic and rheumatologic diseases; infectious diseases; life-threatening signs and symptoms; musculoskeletal disorders; pulmonary diseases; and intoxications and poisonings.
• Demonstrate mastery of the knowledge and cognitive skills required to achieve objectives 1-5 by scoring at least 80% on all topics studied for CME credit.